1. Field
The present invention relates, generally, to information search systems, and more specifically, to information search systems in which human searchers provide search results to information seekers via a messaging service interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a search system utilizing human searchers, it is important to not only provide accurate search results to information seekers, but also to provide the search results as quickly as possible. In some instances, however, accuracy of the search results depends on the accuracy of the query on which the search results are based.
For example, an information seeker may enter a search query requesting a search system to provide results, for example, “Who was pitching in the 2005 World Series?” In such an instance, a human searcher or guide in an information search system utilizing human searchers may respond with search results that include the name of a pitcher for the winning team. Upon receiving the results of the search query, the information seeker may have realized that he did not accurately present the search query, as the information seeker intended to ask, “Who was the losing pitcher in the 3rd game of the 2005 World Series?” or “What was the name of the jerk that cost the Sox the Series 3 years ago?”
As another example, an information seeker may enter a search query requesting a search system to provide results, for example, ‘Who was quarterbacking in the 2005 Super Bowl?” In such an instance, a human searcher or guide in an information search system utilizing human searchers may respond with search results that include the names of both the quarterback(s) of the winning team and the quarterback(s) of the losing team. Upon receiving the results of the search query, the information seeker may have realized that he did not completely disambiguate the search query. The information seeker may have intended to also obtain information regarding which quarterback(s) was playing for which team.
As a result of the failure of the information seeker to accurately capture his or her exact intention, the information seeker may have to submit a second search query to the system to obtain the desired information, thereby incurring additional wait time and occupying resources of the search system. The ambiguity of natural language queries can present problems.
Both the information seeker (user or requester) and the human searcher (guide or provider) may become frustrated. The information seeker may become frustrated as a result of not having received the expected result in response to search query(s). As a result, the information seeker may believe that the searcher assigned to provide the search results did not perform well in responding to the query because the information seeker did not received the best or expected search results. The information seeker may rate the guide with an undesirable or poor performance rating because the results were not what the info seeker (requester) expected. Receiving a poor performance rating may cause the guide to become discouraged, and decide not to accept search queries. A poor or unexpected response to a query likely causes the user to repeat the search. The resources of the system, search server, guide(s), etc. would be used repeatedly, decreasing the productivity and efficiency of the system.
In search systems such as the one described above some information seekers with access to an instant messaging service, email service or mobile messaging service may not wish to utilize or may not have access to browser systems. As general search systems accept “browser-type” traffic and do not typically include a message client process, information seekers having access to only a messaging service type of interface or desiring to use a messaging service (interactive natural language) type of interface, cannot utilize search services offered by general search systems.